Description

“Ballad of Easy Rider” is the eighth studio album by The Byrds, released in late 1969. It followed their involvement with the iconic counterculture film Easy Rider (1969), in which the title track was featured. The album continued the band’s shift towards country rock, solidifying their post-psychedelic phase with a more roots-oriented sound. The album’s title track, “Ballad of Easy Rider”, was inspired by the film Easy Rider, starring Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper. Fonda initially suggested that Bob Dylan write a theme song for the movie, but Dylan only contributed a single line and told Fonda, “Give this to McGuinn. He’ll know what to do with it.” Roger McGuinn expanded it into a full song, which played during the film’s closing credits. However, Dylan requested his name be removed from the credits, leaving McGuinn as the sole credited songwriter.